Today's Haaretz editorial (see also the original Hebrew version) is going to anger a lot of people. It says that today's anti-disengagement march might turn into a violent riot. If protesters try to break through into the Gaza Strip to settle and stay there to fight disengagement next month, "there may be no choice but to use crowd-dispersal equipment, just as the police and army do on other occasions. The danger to the state reflected in the march on Gush Katif is no smaller, and in practice is even greater, than the danger posed by other demonstrations that the security forces have been forced to handle." In other words, they're saying "shoot them, if necessary".
I applaud Haaretz. Though I see the disengagement plan as a victory to the Palestinian extremists, its cancellation would be a victory to Israel's extremists. At this point, success by our own radicals would not replace that of our enemies, but rather it would be a victory of the No Compromise Wing of both sides. That's why we need to crush the Settler Uprising just like we did with the uprising by Palestinian citizens of Israel in October 2000. Besides, if the army has no problem shooting rubber-coated bullets at Palestinians and Israeli Leftist Jews who violently protest against the security fence in the West Bank, they shouldn't have any problem doing the same with violent settlers.
I know I sound a bit like a fascist today, or like a settler-hater. But I'm not. I just see the extremists among the settlers as a danger to Israeli democracy.
Tag: disengagement
A Great Day for *The Atlantic*
2 weeks ago
Democracy assumes a say by the people in the selection of, operation of, and direction of the government via the means of voting.
ReplyDeleteYet, the government of Israel completely reversed direction, ignored all positions for which it was voted in, expelled elected members who disagreed with the reversal, expelled army leadership which disagreed with it, closed down outlets of opposition, and even outlawed the opposition protest color!
It is not democracy that's at risk, for democracy to be at risk it would first have to be practiced.
It is the government regime that's at risk, and the elite unchanging power structure.
I have little doubt they will indeed give the order to use brutal violent and deadly force in response, because that is the response of junta's.
The question is whether the people that make up the army and police will accept the order.
Regardless, Israel will not be Israel when this is done.
You are right about Sharon backtracking on his election promises and completely reversing direction. I don't like it either, but nowhere does the law prevent him from doing so, as long as he has the support of the Knesset (which he does).
ReplyDeleteAbout expelling two ministers - as prime minister, he has the right to do so when they disagree with government policy. After all, the executive branch isn't directly elected, so they were never elected to be ministers.
The chief of staff was not expelled. His 3-year term came to an end, the government decided not to extend it for another year. It's their choice to make.
The only outlets of opposition the government closed down were those of the most militant settlers like the extremist group that took over the hotel at Dkalim Beach. Those were people even the people of Gush Katif were afraid of.
I've seen so much of the color orange around Israel, that your statement about banning it just seemed rediculous to me. (Don't get all excited about me seeing a lot of orange. I've seen no less blue - the color of the pro-disengagement movement).
When this is done, Israel will be a bit less Eretz Israel Ha'Shlema, and a bit more the State of Israel. It's about time!